Carousel.



C. E. MORRIS.

' CAROUSEL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I6. 3916.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR.

BY 1 my c ATTORNEY C.E. MORRIS.

CAROUSEL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16. 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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' m 7 7am g N I W ATTORNEY -i rn srar m caries.

CHARLES E.'1VIORRIS, OF LEAVEN WORTH, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES W. PARKER,

' 0F LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

CAROUSEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

Application filed November 16, 1916. Serial No. 131,697.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. Monnis, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth support a movement'relative to the frame when the frame is revolved.

As such carousels are ordinarily constructed, the relative or secondary'movement of the support for the person is initiated simultaneously with the revolving of the frame. A great strain is thus placed upon the operating mechanism which imparts an uneven and jerking movement to the frame.

and the support for the person carried thereby.

The object of my invention is to provide a carousel of the kind described in which. the revolving movement of the frame and the secondary movement of the support for the person will be initiated one after the other, thus throwing the entire load gradually upon the operating mechanism. 7

Inthe preferred form of my invention, a structure is provided in which the revolving movement of the frame is first initiated, means, preferably manually operated, being provided by which the secondary movement of the support for the person may be initiated either simultaneously with the revolving movement of the frame or after the frame is under way.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of my, invention,

Figure 1 is a view of my improved carousel shown partly in elevation, partly in vertical section and partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view of a central portion of my improved carousel, on the line 33 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is ashorizontal section on the line 4-4of Fig.3. 1 1

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in the different views.

A stationary support is provided comprising, preferably, a vertical tubular stand 1 which has its lower end secured to and supported by a horizontal base 2, on which are supported the lower ends of inclined bars 8, the upper ends of which support a stationary sleeve 4 which encircles the standard 1.

Supporting means, comprising, preferably, a revoluble frame consisting of the following described parts, is provided.

Re'voluble on and supported by the sleeve 4 is a hub 5, in which are secured and supported the inner ends of a plurality of radial bars 6, which are also supported by inclined rods 7 the upper ends of which are fastened to a revoluble ring 8, Fig. l, encircling the standard land resting upon a collar 9 secured to said standard adjacentto the upper end thereof.

A horizontal annular platform 10 which encircles the standard 1 is supported by rods 11, the upper ends of which are secured to and supported by the bars 6. I

The frame which I have just described may be revolved by any suitable means, not shown, around the standard 1.

A plurality of radial shafts 12 are rotatably mounted respectively on the bars 6 in bearings 13 carried by said bars.

In the drawings, two kinds of rotary shafts are provided, one kind being denoted by 12 and the other by 14. The shaft 12 is provided with a crank 15 which imparts vertical movement to a support for a person comprising a seat 16 carried by a vertical rod 17 the upper end of which is pivoted to the crank 15. v

The shaft 14 has secured to it a bevel gear wheel 18 which meshes with a bevel gear wheel 19 which is supported by a sleeve 20 mounted onthe adjacent bar 6. The gear wheel 19 is adapted to rotate on a vertical axis a support for a person, comprising a seat 21 supported by a vertical. rod 22, which extends through the sleeve 20 and has secured to its upper end the gear wheel 19.

For rotating the shafts 12 and 14, said shafts have secured to their inner ends respectively pinions 23 which mesh with a horizontal gear wheel 24 which is rotatable upon the sleeve 4, and which is supported by a bearing ring 25 encircling and supported by the sleeve 4, Fig. 3.

Means, preferably manually ,operated clutch mechanism, is provided for releasably locking the gear wheel 24 to the stationary sleeve 4. lVhen the gear wheel 24 is thus locked and the frame carrying the seats 16 and 21, which are relatively movable to said frame, thepinions 23 will be made to travel around thegear wheel 24, thereby rotating the shafts l2 and. 14 and thus vertically movingthe seat 16 and rotating the seat- 21.

I For locking the gear wheel 24 to the sleeve 4, the following described frictional clutch mechanism may be employed.

The upper side of the gear wheel 24 is provided with an annular groove .26, in which are located two substantially semi circular clutch members 27 having one set of endspivoted to a vertical pin 28, the upper end of which extends into and is secured to a collar 29 which encircles and is rigidly secured to the standard 1 just above the gear wheel 24.

When the free ends of the clutch members 27 are forced apart and against the gear wheel 24,-. said clutch members will lockingly engage the gear wheel 24 and will hold it from rotation on the sleeve 4.

For releasing the clutch members 27 from the gear wheel 24, there is provided ahorizontal transverse coil spring 30, the ends of which are respectively secured to the clutch members 27, the tension of the spring being such that it will normally tend to. draw the free ends of the clutch members 27 toward each other and out of engagement with the gear wheel 24.

For forcing the clutch members 27 into locked engagement with the gear wheel 24, the following described mechanism may be employed.

A vertical rock' shaft 31 is pivotally mounted in bearings 82 secured to the inner wall of the standard 1. Rigidly secured to the rock shaft 31 is a horizontal handle 83 which extends laterally through a slot 34 provided in the standard 1. v

Secured, to the upper end of'the rock shaft 81 is a pinion 35 which extends through a slot 36in the standard 1 and collar, 29 and meshes with. an intermediate pinion 37 which is rotatable on'a vertical pin- 38, the lower end of which is secured in the collar 29. meshes with a pinion 89' whichis rigidly securedto the upper end of a rotatable vertical pin 4O which extends through the collar 29 and has secured to it below said collar and. in-the groove 26 a block 41,. which is square in cross section, and which is located in. a space provided between the" free: ends of the clutch members- 27. When the block 41 is in the: position shown in: dotted lines in Fig. 5, the clutch members. 217 will-be freed The intermediate pinion 37.

members 27 and will cause the clutch members to tightly clamp and lockingly engage the gear wheel 24. When the handle 33 is in the position shown in solid lines in Fig;

2, the clutch members will be forced by the block 41 to the locked position shown in Fig. 5. l/Vhen the handle 33 is in the position shown in. dotted lines in Fig. 2, the block 41 will be in the neutral position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5,and the spring 30 will then release the clutch members 27 from the gear wheel 24.

In. the 'opera'tion' of my invention, the frame'c'arrying the seats 16 and 21 has'its revolving movement initiated. After the frame is underway. in its revolving movement, the operator may, .at anytime, swing the handle 33 from the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 2,. to the position shown in solid lines in said figure. The roclr shaft 31 will thus be rocked, thereby turning the block 41 into the active position shown. in Fig. 5,. insolid lines, through the intermediacy of the pinions 3'5, 37 and 39 and the pin 40. The clutch members 27 will thus be forced into locked engagement with the gear wheel 24 and will thereby hold said gear member stationary. The revolving of the frame will cause the pinions 23 to rotate, due to their engagement with the gear wheel 24, thereby rotating the shafts 12 and 14,

tion will be smoothly effected.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, as modifications,- within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. In a carousel, .r'evoluble supporting means-, a support for a person carried-thereby and adapted for movement relative thereto, operating, means adapted to be actuated. by said supporting means for imparting such relative movement to said support, and controlling means for gradually rendering said operating means active or inactive irrespective of the speed. of movement of said supportingmeans'.

2. In a carousel, revoluble supporting! means, a support for a. person carried thereby and adapted for movement relative.

thereto, operating means adapted to be actuated by said supporting means for imparting such relative movement to said support, and including a frictional clutch mechanism connecting said supporting means and said operating means, means for rendering said operating means active or inactive.

3. In a carousel, revoluble supporting means, a support for a person carried thereby and adapted for movement relative thereto, operating means actuated by said supporting means for imparting such relative movement to said support, and control ling means by which the operating means may, at the option of the operator, gradually initiate such relative movement of the support irrespective of the speed of movement of said supporting means.

4. In a carousel, revoluble supporting means, a stationary support therefor, a member revoluble on said support, releasable means for locking said member to said support, a support for a person carried by said revoluble supporting means and adaptedfor movement relative thereto, and means permanently connecting said revoluble member and said support for a person for imparting such relative movement to said last named support when the revoluble member is locked to said stationary support.

5. In a carousel, revoluble supporting means, a stationary support therefor, a gear wheel revoluble on said support, releasable means for locking said gear wheel to said support, a pinion meshing with said gear wheel, a support for a person carried by said revoluble supporting means and adapted for movement relative thereto, and means actuated by said pinion for imparting such relative movement to said last named suport.

P 6. In a carousel, revoluble supporting means, a stationary support therefor, a member revoluble on said support, releasable means for locking said member to said support, a rotary shaft on said supporting means, a support for a person movable by said shaft relatively to said supporting means, and means actuated by said revoluble member when the latter is locked to said stationary support for rotating said shaft.

7. In a carousel, revoluble supporting means, a stationary support therefor, a gear wheel revoluble on said support, releasable means for locking said gear wheel to said support, a rotary shaft on said supporting means, a pinion meshing with said gear wheel and rotatable with said shaft, and a support for a person movable by said shaft.

8. In a carousel, revoluble supporting means, a stationary support therefor, a gear wheel revoluble on said support, releasable means for locking said gear Wheel to said support, a rotary shaft on said supporting means having a crank, a pinion meshing with said gear wheel and rotatable with said shaft, and a support for a person connected with and movable by said crank.

9. In a carousel, revoluble supporting means, a stationary support therefor, a member revoluble on said support, clutch mechanism for releasably locking said member to said support, means for operating said clutch mechanism, a support for a person carried by and movable relatively to said supporting means, and means actuated by said revoluble member when the latter is locked to said stationary support for so relatively moving said support for a person.

10. In a carousel, revoluble supporting means, a stationary support therefor, a gear wheel revoluble on said support, manually operated clutch mechanism for releasably locking said gear wheel to said support, a rotary shaft on said supporting means, a pinion meshing with said gear wheel and rotatable with said shaft, and a support for a person movable by said shaft.

11. In a carousel, revoluble supporting means, a stationary support therefor, a gear wheel revoluble on said support, manually operated clutch mechanism for releasably locking said gear Wheel to said, support, a rotary shaft having a crank on said supporting means, a plnion meshing with said gear wheel and rotatable with said shaft, and a support for a person carried by said supporting means and movable by said crank.

In testimonywhereof I have signed my name to this specification.

' CHARLES E. MORRIS.

Copies of this patent may be-obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G." 

